


How to Win a Prince (Name not final)

by PloppyPlops



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: And he misses Lyon, But only a little bit in her case, But so will Olivia, Ephlivia, Ephraim is a soft boy at heart, Eventual Romance, F/M, Flower Crowns, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, He might be big and tough, I'm sorry for the long preamble, Robin is a bro in this, Romance, Tana's going to get really jealous eventually, but he can be emotional too, slow burn? kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-02-08 18:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18628402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PloppyPlops/pseuds/PloppyPlops
Summary: A thing for Ephlivia, the greatest ship to ever exist (and by that I mean it's my personal favorite)





	1. Out of place

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very bad at coming up with names for my works, as I've come to realize. Anyways, the first couple of chapters will be based on an idea someone gave me, because I'm also terrible at coming up with ideas for fics... I'm going to be doing this on a chapter-by-chapter basis, instead of uploading it all at once, so that I don't end up waiting what could be months on end to post the full thing, because this is going to be very long (hopefully). I'm going to try out a few 'experimental' things with this, I suppose, such as having chapters take place from different characters perspectives for the most part. And this first one will mostly be from Olivia's POV, along with the next one too. And also this is taking place before the two of them are together, clearly. Hopefully I'll be able to make their relationship and bond fairly convincing, as I really do love this pairing and want to show others just how well these two can work together.

Turning to lay on her side, Olivia let out a sigh. She knew that she had to get up. Even if she didn’t exactly have anywhere to be that day, she knew that spending time lounging around like this wasn’t good for her. Besides, she was now a ‘Hero’, plucked from her own world to fight alongside others in a war she never asked to be a part of, and ‘Heroes’ don’t stay in bed until noon. And while she didn’t mind doing her part to help the Order of Heroes, she was of course more than willing to assist with their cause, there was still something that nagged at her. She couldn’t help but feel out of place, like her being summoned was some sort of mistake.

She felt she didn’t belong here.

Many heroes from countless worlds had been summoned to fight in the conflict, all ranging from royalty to soldiers, god-like beings to actual dragons, with the occasional villager thrown in here or there. But Olivia? She was just a simple dancer who had some skill with a sword. Compared to divine dragons or future kings and queens, she felt like she had no place here… this feeling wasn’t helped by the fact that the number of heroes from her own world were very few. There were those she recognized from her time fighting alongside the Shepherds, but none among them were anyone she would’ve exactly considered a friend.

When she had been summoned, the most pressing concern for her wasn’t anything such as ‘Why me?’, or ‘How is this even possible?’, though these would certainly come to mind shortly afterwards. Instead, ‘Who else is here?’ was the first thing that came to mind. She’d desperately hoped for someone such as Lon’qu, Chrom, or Gregor to be there. Even perhaps Maribelle, who’d become one of her closest friends, or maybe Sumia. But instead, there was no one that she cared to interact with, and very few members of the Order bothered to pay her much attention outside of battle.

It didn’t help that the dancer’s reserved and timid nature generally caused her to avoid going out of her way to make any new friends, or to spend much time in places where others might be encouraged to come speak with her. When it came time for meals, she would sit alone on the far end of the dining hall, eating as quickly as she could before leaving. She always trained alone, practiced her routines alone, and spent nearly all of her free time in her room, with the occasional trip to the library to get a new book. And despite there being plenty of other talented dancers and performers in the Order, people she might’ve gotten along with fairly well if she actually tried speaking with any of them, she felt as if she’d just be a bother, and decided against it.

So when it came to days like this, where she knew she wasn’t needed for a mission, or wasn’t given any duties to perform around the castle, she nearly found it impossible to get out of bed at a decent hour, knowing that there wasn’t anyone who was really wanting to see her. 

Eventually though, like all other days where this happened, she made the decision to finally get up and start the day. She didn’t know exactly what she’d do or where she’d go, but knew that staying in bed all day wouldn’t be good for her. Rolling onto her back and sitting up, she stretched her arms out as she yawned, the covers falling down from around her torso. Slipping out from the blankets and sheets, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she stood up and gave her limbs a few more stretches before making her bed and heading towards her closet, working on slipping off her nightgown in the process. 

As she spent a few minutes getting ready, putting on her dancers garb before fixing up her hair into its usual ponytail and braids, she pondered over what she should do. She’d missed breakfast, and it was time for lunch… Perhaps a simple stroll would do her some good, maybe she could even swing by the kitchen and find something small for herself. Once she was dressed and about to step out of her room, the set of dancing rings laying on her nightstand caught her eye. 

“I suppose I could get some practice in too…” She mumbled to herself, grabbing the bronze circlets before heading out.

Exiting her room, she began to walk about the castle, not really heading anywhere in particular yet. She kept her head down, not making eye contact or greeting anyone she passed.. After all, they were essentially strangers to her, even if for the most part they were all kind. The one time she did lift her gaze to make sure she wasn’t about to run into anyone, she caught a glimpse of one of the few she did recognize from Ylisse, but Olivia hardly wanted anything to do with the woman. 

“Olivia.” Tharja greeted in a low tone, the Plegian mage’s eyes meeting Olivia’s as they passed one another, the raven-haired woman clutching a pair of tomes against her chest. Olivia only gave a small ‘Hello’ in response, wishing to engage with her as little as possible. Seconds later, Olivia looked over her shoulder at the sorceress for a brief moment, watching as she disappeared into a doorway down the hall. 

It was while she was busy watching Tharja that she ended up bumping into one of the few new allies that she somewhat got along with, even if they didn’t speak much outside of being on missions together.

She collided with him as he came around a corner, sending her stumbling backwards, her rings clattering to the ground as she fell to on her rear. He on the other hand remained nearly unphased by this, a testament to their difference in stature

“Ah, Olivia... “ said Ephraim, looking down at the somewhat dazed dancer. “Are you alright? You weren’t really paying attention to where you were walking.” 

After overcoming the initial shock of the collision, Olivia craned her head upwards to meet the prince’s gaze, his teal eyes locking with her own for a brief moment before she broke contact. He’d extended a hand to help her up, and after grabbing her rings, she took the offer, standing back up. She was quickly being reminded of just how much bigger he was than her, the prince nearly standing a whole head taller than her. A blush spread across those porcelain cheeks of hers, before she took a small bow, her eyes shutting tightly as her face burned with embarrassment. 

“I-I’m sorry, Prince Ephraim… please, forgive me!” She apologized, stuttering a bit. “I should’ve been paying more attention to where I was going…” 

“No, it’s fine.” He replied waving a hand dismissively. He then narrowed his eyes slightly, and reached his hand out, placing it on her shoulder and pushing her back up. “And you don’t need to bow, or refer to me as ‘Prince’... Just Ephraim is fine.”

“But…” She was going to protest this, but figured it was pointless to do so, and simply gave a nod instead. “Y-Yes, Ephraim.”

“So where have you been hiding?” he asked, keeping his hand on her shoulder for just a second longer before pulling it back. “I didn't see you at breakfast, or out at the training yard.”

Again casting her gaze off to the side, nearly afraid to maintain eye contact with the man, she gave another nod, her face growing warmer as she shifted her weight awkwardly from one foot to the other. Despite the prince being surprisingly friendly at times, he was still somewhat intimidating to her, both because of how tall he was, along with his incredibly straightforward demeanor.

“I-I wasn't feeling well, you see, and I figured I should stay in bed for a while…” 

“Not feeling well? Do you need to go see a healer?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at her, or rather, at the top of her head, since she was now focusing her eyes on the ground. “I’d advise you get it taken care of as soon as possible, there are those here who depend on you.”

“I-I’m fine! I don’t feel ill or anything, I’m just... “ She gripped her rings tightly with both hands now, pursing her lips together before letting out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Prin- er… Ephraim. I think I need to go. Please, excu-” She stopped once she felt him tapping her on the shoulder, causing her to quickly look up at him for a brief moment. 

“Here… come with me.” He said suddenly, turning and motioning for her to follow along. “This isn’t the best place to talk.”

“W-Wait… what?” She stuttered out, understandably confused by this sudden request. “I need to... “ She trailed off as he began walking away, seemingly expecting her to follow along behind him. 

He didn’t even bother to explain where he was wanting to bring her or why. She could only speculate as to what was going through his mind... did he see through her? Did he somehow know she spent the whole morning laying in bed, not wanting to get up? She didn’t think she could really get in trouble for such a thing, seeing as she wasn’t neglecting any duties, so she found it unlikely he’d try and report her to the Commander or the Summoner… But why did he want to talk? From all she’d heard about him, and from her own experiences with him, he didn’t seem much of one for idle conversation, so why would he suddenly do this?

After standing there for a few confused moments, unsure of what to even do, she strangely felt compelled to go with him, more out of curiosity than anything else. She quickly began to follow the man, running to catch up and walk with him, trailing just a few feet behind his swaying cape as she wondered where he’d be taking her.


	2. Vulnerable Prince

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking the dancer out to a more private location, Ephraim reveals himself to be a lot kinder than first impressions let on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took longer than anticipated to get this out, I wanted to make sure it was much more polished before just pushing it out there and fixing it later. Though I figure I'll likely make some small fixes later regardless... Oh well. I do hope it's an enjoyable read! Also, chapter names (as well as the name of the fic) are subject to change, because as I've stated previously, I'm bad at coming up with them and finding the perfect name for something is difficult.

The walk out from the castle and into the nearby forest was a relatively short one, though it felt like an eternity for Olivia. The entire time they walked, it was in near silence, with her trailing behind the prince most of the way. Normally she would’ve been incredibly wary about someone bringing her out into the woods like this, as would have anyone really. But she’d grown to trust the prince in her short time here, and knew that he wouldn’t do anything to harm her at the very least… and she didn’t exactly have anywhere else to be that day, so taking a bit of time to go along with him wasn’t really a bother.

She eventually came up a bit closer, now walking beside him instead of behind. She glanced up at him now and then, trying to read the emotions in his expression, but he made it nearly impossible to do so, keeping a somewhat aloof and almost uninterested look on his face the whole way. 

“Where are we heading?” She eventually asked, having worked up the courage. 

“You’ll see.” Came his reply. He glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow. “You do trust me, don’t you?”

She did trust the prince, of course. He’d saved her life on more than one occasion in battle, and they’d even shared dinner together on occasion, though conversation was usually very light… He was one of the very few people she didn’t mind being around. Or at least, didn’t actively avoid.

“Yes… I do.” She said, meeting his eyes for a second before looking away. “It’s just a bit odd, I suppose… suddenly bringing someone into the woods like this?”

She only got a shrug and a small ‘I guess so’ in response, before the silence between the two of them returned. 

‘What is he thinking?’ She wondered to herself. ‘What could he possibly want to talk to me about?’ Whenever they had spoken to one another on the rare occasion, he always got straight to the point, never wasting a single moment. It seemed he had no problem being honest with how he felt about things… so it was just a matter of time until he gave her the answers to these questions, and speculating about it wouldn’t do her much good now.

“We’re nearly there.” He eventually announced as the path began to incline, gradually leading them up a hill, and out of the cover of the forest. 

From where they were at the bottom, a single tree could be seen at the top, providing ample shade to a multitude of flowers and long grass. They gradually drew closer, with Olivia becoming ever so slightly winded from the relatively steep climb as they did. But once they actually made it to the top, whatever breath was left in her lungs escaped as a soft gasp passed her lips, her breath being quite literally taken away by the sight before her.

It was as if they could see the entire kingdom of Askr from here, and perhaps even beyond. They had a perfect view of the castle and the surrounding city, along with all the fields and various ponds and rivers that lined the landscape. She could even make out distant villages at the base of the faraway mountains if she squinted hard enough… She simply stood there in awe for a bit, taking everything in. The gentle breeze rustling the trees and foliage, the spring sun warmly shining down on them without a cloud in the sky… Any prior negative emotions she felt were forgotten briefly as she marveled at the view.

“W-Wow... “ She muttered, a smile gracing her plush lips as she craned her head around, amazed at all she could see from this one, seemingly perfect vantage point. “This is… This is beautiful!” 

“It is… isn’t it?” He replied, the slightest hint of self-satisfaction evident in his voice.

She turned to face the prince, who was now seated among the flowers and motioning for her to join him. Her smile gradually faded away as she nodded, a more curious expression now taking hold of her features. She knelt down a couple of feet across from him, setting down her rings beside her in the grass, curious to finally hear what was so important to talk about that he had brought her along to such a secluded place. 

Though much to her surprise, instead of saying anything immediately once he had her attention, he removed his gloves before reaching down and picking one of the many daisies that surrounded them, twirling it around in between his fingers a couple of times.

“Are you alright, Olivia?” He finally asked, setting down the flower as he went to pick a second one, flicking his eyes up to her for a moment. “You can be honest, you know. I’m not going to judge you for anything.” 

There he went again, getting straight to the point.

“You brought me all the way here… just to ask that?” She questioned, looking understandably puzzled. “We could’ve found a spot in the castle if this is what you wanted… why here?” 

“I find this spot to be relaxing.” He replied, giving a shrug as he picked another flower. “It’s a spot I stumbled across a few weeks ago, and I come here now and again to clear my mind… I figured with how uneasy you get around other people, coming to a secluded place such as this would better for talking privately.”

She was somewhat taken aback by this. He was surprisingly… considerate. It was odd, sure… but he seemed to mean well. 

“Are you sure you want me to tell you, though?” She eventually replied, looking to him with a slightly worried expression. She didn’t want to bug him with problems and concerns that weren’t his own, after all. She was sure he had more important things to worry about. “I don’t want to be an inconvenience…” 

“Olivia.” He said as their eyes locked together, the dancer finding herself unable to look away. “I’m certain. You’re anything but an inconvenience, alright? Now tell me what’s bothering you.” 

Slowly, she nodded, letting out a small sigh as she broke eye contact, her gaze drifting down to her lap, where her palms rested against her bare thighs. There would be no point in lying so that he wouldn’t worry, so she decided to just be honest. He’d gone to such lengths just to ask her if she was alright, after all. She doubted he would believe her if she tried to brush it off as nothing.

“W-Well…” She began, taking a deep breath. “I… e-ever since being summoned here, I’ve met plenty of new people… L-Like you! But I don’t really interact with any of them outside of missions, or when we have to work alongside each other when doing assignments around the castle... This is actually the first time I’ve really been alone with anyone here.” She brought her hands up to begin nervously toying with one of her braids, her eyes dropping to her lap, figuring she may as well get to the point. “I… I miss my old allies…” 

“Have none of them been summoned to fight with us?” He asked, eyes focused on her.

“Some have, yes… but they’re not exactly ones I got along with…” Tharja specifically came to mind as she said this. “I wish that… Lon’qu were here. He was someone… special to me.” ‘Special’ was one way to put it. She’d planned on eventually confessing to the swordsman at one point, since she’d admittedly had somewhat of a crush on him.. But that was months ago. Now she just wanted him here so that she would at least have a friend. “Or Maribelle… she and I were close too.”

As she spoke, Ephraim continued picking flowers, gradually amassing a small pile of the things, though made sure to keep his gaze mostly locked onto her as he did this.

“So… you’re lonely, is that it?” He finally said, resting his hands on his knees for a moment. “You miss your old comrades, and don’t really get along with anyone here?” 

“I… do suppose that’s it, sort of…” She replied, lifting her head to meet his teal eyes. There was something about his expression that was… sympathetic. He was seemingly trying his best to listen to and understand her.

He then looked down to the pile of white and yellow daisies, taking a few into his hands before slowly beginning to weave them together. She followed his eyes, and watched as he worked, a bit perplexed by this strange and seemingly random action.

“I know how you feel.” He suddenly said, causing her to lift her gaze from his little ‘project’ up to his face, his sympathetic look persisting. “Feeling like you’re out of place, or as if no one around really understands you…” He stopped working for a brief moment, again meeting her stare. “I can relate to it.” 

“You… you can?”

“Yes, shockingly enough…” He replied, giving a half-smile. “I too miss my allies, my friends…” His head dropped to again look at his hands, his smile fading. “My sister.” 

“You have a sister?” She asked, scooting in just a bit closer. This had been the first time she’d seen him smile outside of battle… there was an unexpected warmth to it that she hadn't imagined would be there. And though she wouldn’t admit it, especially not to him… it was cute.

“Ah, I do suppose I've never told you… have I?” He replied.. “Eirika… she's my twin, though she's much different than I am… very kind and compassionate. She doesn't like to fight, while I...” He then gave his head a small shake, his hands going back to work on weaving that flowery ring together. “Anyways, the point I’m trying to get at, is that I know how you feel to some degree. And while you may feel as if you’re alone here, that’s simply not true. I’m certain there are others who are experiencing similar feelings.”

“That… that may be so, but-” She bit at her lip as paused, trying to find the right words. “I’m just a commoner… There are plenty of others here who are much more capable than I am!I can’t fight all that well compared to people like you, all I can really do is dance… and even then, the other dancers here are more talented than I am.”

Rolling his eyes, he let out a small groan.. “Olivia, there are literal villagers here fighting for the cause… those two boys who came alongside Sir Alm are ‘commoners’ just like you. And as for skill, your performances are second to none… your dancing gives others like myself the strength and motivation to carry on.” 

“But I-”

He reached forwards, placing an ungloved hand on her exposed shoulder, resulting in her cheeks turning a bright red as she flinched slightly from the sudden contact.

“Olivia, there have been times where we could’ve fallen in battle were it not for you… Where your dancing was what kept me going, and I’m sure others would say the same. Don’t you dare doubt for even a moment your importance to the Order, or to anyone here.” 

She let his words hang there as she processed what he’d said. The expression on his face was serious, yet there was compassion in his eyes…

Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t really considered that others might be feeling just the same as she did, that they might think they’re not good enough to be there just as she did. She didn’t think that her efforts really would have such a positive effect on her allies either... And while his sympathy and attempts to comfort her were greatly appreciated, it was shocking to hear such things coming from Ephraim of all people.

“I… I suppose you’re right.” She finally said, her hands falling to her lap. “But if I’m being honest… i-it’s a tad surprising that of all the different Heroes in the Order, you’re the first one to try and comfort me.” She added with a nervous chuckle.

“Why is that surprising?” He asked without missing a beat.

“U-Um… You just seem to be a bit rough?” She spoke a bit quieter now, unsure if what she was saying could be considered rude. “What I mean is… at first you seemed to be… scary?” 

He pulled his hand away from her shoulder while raising a curious eyebrow. She felt like she might have offended him now, that all the good will between them may have just disappeared in an instant. 

“Maybe not scary, exactly… Wh-What I meant was,” She attempted to clarify, clearing her throat and doing her best to maintain eye contact, and resist the urge to look away. “You were a bit intimidating… We first met when we were sent out into battle together… do you remember what happened?” 

“Err… not exactly.” He replied, prompting her to continue.

“Well, you… you nearly took out every enemy by yourself!” She caved, and shut her eyes as she looked down, hands slightly clenched out of nervousness. “You’d barely spoken a few words to me the whole time. And when the enemy was spotted, you charged ahead and took out almost every soldier in sight by yourself… I-I was in awe of the strength you wielded, it was as if you fought with the power of several men! But at the same time… it looked as if you were having fun. Like you enjoyed doing it… It scared me.” 

The prince hadn’t expected her to bring something like this up while he was attempting to comfort and reassure her… and was most definitely uncertain how he should even respond, apparent by how his mouth hung open for a few moments as he tried to think of something.

“I… understand.” He replied, his focus shifting back to the ring of flowers in his hands. “Forgive me, Olivia.” 

The tone of his voice as he said this… Olivia instantly regretted what she’d said, thinking she surely did offend him in some way. Lifting her head a bit to catch a glimpse of his expression… he nearly looked as if he was genuinely hurt. Almost instantly, she began to backpedal, trying to rectify what she perceived as a horribly rude comment, especially considering the kindness he just showed her.

“D-Don’t apologize!” She shuffled in a bit closer. “As I said… that was my first impression! I’ve come to learn that you’re… not scary at all.” Now she dared to reach forth, placing her dainty hand upon his own, causing his head to lift up and meet her gaze once more. “I appreciate what you’ve said… y-you’re kinder than I thought you were at first! You’ve even offered to help me train! No one else has done that… And no one else here has ever bothered to ask me if I was okay either! So… Thank you, Ephraim.” 

Her words sat in the air for a few moments, with Olivia desperately hoping he wasn’t upset. But slowly, his lips curled into somewhat of a smile, dispelling her fears. That cute smile… something about it was just adorable to her. He looked so serious most of the time, but seeing this look of joy adorning his features, a calm and even cheerful look in his eyes… she couldn’t help but smile in return, it seemed to be contagious.

“You’re welcome, Olivia.” He simply, before nodding and turning his attention back to his project. She hadn’t said anything about it before, but now that it was taking shape… she just had to ask. 

“So, um… what are you making?” She asked, clearing her throat as she removed her hand from him, shifting the topic.

“It’s a flower crown, obviously.” He said curtly, though the little smile remained on his lips. “Eirika showed me how to make them some years ago… along with a friend of ours.” 

“But... why make one now?” She inquired further, tilting her head.

“They remind me of her.” He replied, putting the finishing touches on it. “I know it’s silly, but it brings me back to when her, Lyon and I would spend time together…” He then presented it to the dancer, gesturing for her to lower her head. She reluctantly did so, and not a moment later, the daisy crown was placed upon her. 

This behavior… it was highly unexpected, he was like a different person from the fierce warrior he was known to be on the battlefield. It did seem a bit silly, considering someone who was essentially a grown man was making a flower crown of all things? Not just a grown man, but a prince and future king? Who was one of the Order’s most powerful fighters, who could take out entire squads of soldiers alone? She found it silly, and somewhat childish… but it was oddly endearing. 

“Um… thank you.” She said, her cheeks warming up as she let out a small giggle. “I’ve… never actually made one before. O-Or even worn one, for that matter.” 

“Want me to show you?” He asked, an almost childlike excitement in his voice. “It’s easier than you think.”

“Yes… if you wouldn’t mind!” She shuffled in just a tad closer to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm aware that the idea of Ephraim of all people making flower crowns is silly, and this whole chapter is kind of odd in concept, I suppose? But I had fun writing it, and I think that's what matters the most. I just hope anyone who made it to the end had fun reading it as well! 
> 
> And as always, comments and criticisms are always welcome! It's likely I slipped up on something and didn't catch it, so... please, do let me know!


	3. Learning from a Lord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olivia finally takes Ephraim up on his offer of training with her one day, though ends up learning not just from him, but about him as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's very late while I'm uploading this, and it's very possible I missed something while going over this, So there may be couple of mistakes here and there... But I want to try and get things pushed out quicker, and not spend so much time worrying about trying to perfect every single little detail I can before publishing. I do hope to have another chapter out sometime within perhaps a week or so, but we'll see. As always, I do hope you enjoy this somewhat! Please do leave feedback if you feel like doing so!

“Again!” Ephraim commanded, holding his wooden sword in a defensive position, a stern expression plastered across his face. “Faster this time… and be fierce! Hold nothing back!” 

Olivia huffed as she took a half-step backwards, strands of damp hair plastered against her sweaty forehead, her breaths shallow as she took a fighting stance once more. Her regular dance practice was quite the exercise, but… this was certainly a workout, and it didn’t help that the summer sun beating down on them. She charged in for another strike, raising her own wooden sword to cut downwards at an angle. She let out a small yelp as he deflected her attack, the prince following up via a slightly rough shove with his free hand, nearly sending her to the ground, though she took the blow much better than he would’ve imagined considering their difference in size.

“Come on, Olivia…” Chided the lord, holding his training weapon at arms length as he beckoned her to continue. “You can do better than that… again!” 

“O-Okay!” She nodded, taking a second to push a few stray hairs out of her eyes as she straightened herself out, recovering from his somewhat painful counterattack before taking another lunge at him.

He was impressed with her stamina, though he shouldn’t be surprised considering her profession. They’d been going at this for nearly an hour, and while she was certainly sweaty and almost out of breath like he’d anticipated, she had kept this up longer than he had expected. 

“Hey…” She finally said after a few more minutes of this, lowering her weapon, face red and beading with sweat. “Would it be okay if we took a small break? If you don’t mind, that is… I-I can keep going!” 

He paused for a moment, having thought she would ask sooner. Finally, the stern expression of a teacher faded away slightly, replaced by a slightly more neutral one, though it was accompanied by the hint of a smile. He lowered his own weapon, and gave a nod before turning to the side to head towards a nearby bench, one of the many that were scattered about the training grounds, with Olivia trailing behind him.

“You’re doing good…” He commented, taking a seat before reaching for the waterskin pouch he’d left laying on the stone surface when they’d started. “Better than I expected.”

Setting down his sword and taking off the cork, he brought the pouch to his lips, a feeling of relief washing over him as the cool water slid down his throat. But his attention was quickly drawn back to the dancer when he realized she was still standing a couple of feet away, seemingly nervous to join him.

“You can sit, you know.” He said, motioning to the rest of the unoccupied bench. “It’d make me feel awkward if you stood there the entire time.” 

“Oh! R-Right…” Came her breathy reply. She stepped over and sat down on the opposite end, laying her sword on the ground beside his own before reaching up to fix her hair, tucking all the loose strands back underneath her headband, though most of it stayed up into the slightly messy bun she’d decided to wear it in for training.

“If you want, we can take it easier.” He began after taking another drink. “I’m impressed with your strength and stamina, but… you seem to be getting worn out.” 

Her head turned towards him as he said this, but quickly dropped it back to her lap, her hands straightening and smoothing out her slightly baggy pants before coming to rest between her thighs.

“No, I’m fine…” Came her response, though it was apparent this wasn’t the case. She wiped her face on her sleeve before continuing, attempting to rid it of the sweat. “Maybe a bit hot… I just need to catch my breath for a minute, then I’ll be okay!” 

“And sweaty too, it seems. I can even smell it a tad.” He responded plainly, glancing at her shirt, taking notice of how damp it was. “Maybe you should’ve worn your dancing outfit… You might’ve been a bit cooler with more skin exposed, less cloth to keep the heat trapped in.” 

She furrowed her brow slightly and pursed her lips as she heard this, but tried to not let it bother her. It was fairly of rude of him to say such a thing, and she normally would’ve let him know, but… she’d come to learn that Ephraim at times didn’t know when to hold his tongue on certain things, and could occasionally say something rude without realizing it. 

“Maybe…” She said, letting out a sigh. “But it’s easier to focus on my swordplay without any ribbons or rings, or anything like that getting in the way…” She then took a glance at him, noting his own casual shirt and pants, no doubt his regular training clothes. "You’re a bit sweaty too, you know. You could've worn something that exposed more skin as… w-well…" 

She trailed off as she said this, the image of him wearing anything even slightly revealing now coming into her mind. If her face hadn’t already been red from the strenuous activity minutes earlier, it certainly would be now.

"N-Never mind…" She continued, gaze again dropping to her lap, having regretted even mentioning such a thing. "Maybe next time I will wear something else…" 

"So… you're saying this isn't just a one time thing?" He replied, leaning forwards with his elbows on his knees, hands still clasping the waterskin that held his gaze.

"H-Huh? What do you mean?" 

"I dunno." He gave his shoulders a shrug, before lifting his head up to look ahead. "I thought maybe I wasn’t a very good teacher, or that I was being too rough on you, or… I don’t know.” He then turned his head towards her for a moment. “Sorry for shoving you around so much by the way… I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

"Well… I did ask you to not hold back." She replied, now leaning back slightly with her hands beside her on the bench for support. "So I wouldn't really have anyone to blame but myself for anything that might've happened. It did hurt a bit, but… that’s just part of training, right?" 

“I suppose so…” He said in a slightly dejected tone, lowering his head back to the ground. 

Oh gods, had she upset him? She leaned forward now, trying to get a good look at his face, but… his expression was still fairly neutral, with her being unable to read any real emotions from it… She was never sure what to do when he was like this, uncertain as to what he might be thinking. Was he upset? Angry? She wanted to reach out and place a hand on his shoulder, but… maybe that wouldn’t be appropriate? He didn’t seem to mind when she touched his hand the other week, so perhaps… 

“S-So… speaking of training,” She finally piped up, trying to change the topic. She shifted her position slightly as she spoke, bringing one leg up and crossing it over the other, while motioning towards the wooden swords on the ground. “I thought you only used a lance? I didn’t know you were skilled in swordplay as well…”

His eyes followed her hand as it pointed towards the weapons, before he gave a small nod and sat up straight, quickly taking another drink of water. 

“I may prefer the lance, but I can use axes and swords as well.” He explained, wiping a few stray drops from his chin. “My teacher was proficient in nearly all weapon types, and he taught me most of what I know.” 

“He must have been very skilled and talented... are you training me the same way he trained you?” 

“Somewhat…” He responded, finally looking up at her as he spoke. “I don’t have too much experience being the teacher. The only other person I’ve ever really instructed was my sister, though I was much easier on her… She didn’t really know how to fight at all before I showed her anything.” He now had a smile on his face as he leaned backwards slightly, looking up to the cloudless sky. “Of course she’s grown into a fine warrior in her own right, though it wasn’t by choice…” He paused, before giving a light chuckle, turning back to look at her. “Forgive me, I’m sure you don’t care to hear too much about such things.” 

“No, it’s fine!” She replied, giving her head a light shake, a smile of her own now having worked its way onto her lips. “I don’t mind listening to you… It can be fun to learn more about others, don’t you agree?” 

“I guess…” He said, bringing a hand up to rub at the back of his neck. “I’ll admit, I’ve never been too good at talking with others, though sometimes I can ‘pull it off’ as Eirika would say.” 

She assumed that the time he brought her out to the hill was one of those times he ‘pulled it off’ to some degree. He did seem to be a bit awkward when it came to small talk sometimes, but she’d certainly met others who were much worse at talking, despite being him coming off as somewhat rude now and again.

“You seem to be able to talk with me fairly well… why’s that?” Prodded the dancer, tilting her head to the side in slight confusion.

“I… couldn’t tell you why.” He responded, furrowing his brow. “Maybe it’s because you remind me of my sister in a couple of ways. She and Lyon…” He trailed off as he began that sentence, the corners of his mouth curled ever so slightly downwards. 

“Ephraim?” Olivia asked, scooting in closer after a few moments of silence, finally reaching up and gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?” 

There was a clear tone of concern in her voice, it being obvious to her that something was wrong, though she couldn’t exactly place it at first. But after she moved in just a bit closer again, he turned his head to meet her gaze, the sorrowful look in his eyes confirming her suspicions. This lasted only for a second however, before he attempted to smile and set her worries at ease, to play it off as if it was nothing… though he didn’t convince her in the slightest.

“I’m okay, don’t worry.” He finally replied with a nod, clearing his throat. “I was just reminiscing about something, and got lost in thought.” 

“If you’re sure…” She retracted her hand, setting it back onto her lap alongside it’s twin. She knew that wasn’t true though, the eyes never lied when it came to expressing emotions. But she didn’t want to push him further on this now, and decided to try and move on. “A-Anyways, how much longer would you want to sit? I’m fine with getting back to training now, if that’s what you’d want!”

While she asked this, he'd gone for a swig of his water, downing another mouthful of the refreshing liquid. She couldn't help but watch him as he did it… a look of want on her face, one that she was unaware of, but that he took notice of when he turned to look at her. 

"You didn't bring any, did you?" He asked, lowering the container from his lips. 

"Ah… n-no, I didn't." She admitted, letting out a nervous laugh. 

Though before anything more was said by either of them, he was shoving the pouch into her hands, a small grin on his moist lips. 

“Go ahead, you have the rest.” He said, placing his hands beside him as he smiled warmly at her, 

“Wha- N-No, it’s okay!!” She tried to give him back the container, eyes wide with embarrassment. “Please, this is yours… I should’ve brought my own! And besides, I’m not that thirsty anywa-” 

“Olivia, just take it.” He asserted. “I don’t mind sharing, you know. You don’t have to worry about it so much.”

Letting out a small huff, she lowered her head, staring down at the pouch as she admitted defeat with a quiet ‘Okay’. She knew better than to try and argue with him at this point, and chose to just accept this favor. Hesitating for only a second longer, she quickly brought it up her lips, tilting her head backwards as she hungrily downed nearly all that was left in a few large gulps, draining it much faster than Ephraim would’ve expected.

“My…” He began, eyes widened with surprise, seeming nearly impressed. “That was quite fast, seems you really were thirsty.” He had a definitively playful tone to his voice now, seeming to enjoy teasing her a bit, a surprisingly quick shift from what he’d been like just a minute ago. 

“I-I...” She stuttered, a slight pout on her lips. “Please do-”

“Hey, Ephraim!” 

The both of them turned their heads as a familiar voice rang out from behind, only to see a cheerful Sharena making her way towards the pair, a bright smile on her face as usual. 

“Hey! I thought I’d find you out here…” She said to the prince as she got closer, before glancing at Olivia, flashing her a grin. “And it’s nice to see you too, Olivia! Were you guys training together?” 

“Good afternoon, Princess Sharena…” Olivia replied with a nod, keeping her head lowered somewhat, not making eye contact with the girl as she spoke. “We were…”

“Glad to see you as well, Sharena.” Ephraim replied, the playful tone he’d had just moments ago having been replaced by a more casual and neutral one. “Is there something you need?”

“Ah, yes! The commander wanted me to come find you, she wants to speak with you about a special assignment as soon as possible.” 

Furrowing his brow, the lord turned to look at Olivia, who lifted her head to meet his eyes for a moment as she gave him a small nod. She’d wanted to speak with him more, and to hopefully get more training in, but she understood it was important that he leave. 

“I-It’s fine, Prince Ephraim! You can go do that… I have no problem with being finished for the day.” 

“Are you sure?” He asked. “I can go speak to her later if you’d prefer, it’s fine. And I told you to not call me pri-” 

“No… it’s truly okay.” She interrupted, shaking her head and feigning a smile, attempting to reassure him. “We could always train again another day, right? Besides, I’m nowhere near as important as whatever the commander has for you.”

He wanted to contest this further, but relented. With a sigh, he nodded and stood up, Olivia offering him back his waterskin as he grabbed his wooden sword. Giving a curt goodbye to the both of them, he left the two girls alone, heading back to the castle and off from the training yard, with Olivia keeping her eyes on him the whole time he walked away.

‘What was that earlier?’ She silently mused to herself, thinking back to when he trailed off before. She knew there was something more to it than simply being ‘lost in thought’. The look in his eyes… it was obvious that he was hiding something, some sort of pain or sorrow that he was trying to push down and keep contained.

“Olivia, what’s wrong?” Sharena asked, having taken notice of Olivia’s silence. But the dancer didn’t seem to hear her, instead keeping her attention trained on the prince. “Hey!” She blurted out a bit loudly while waving a hand in front of the girl’s face, attempting to get her attention.

“H-Huh?” The pinkette answered, snapping out of her contemplative state as she reluctantly tore her eyes off of the shrinking prince once he disappeared into the castle.

“Are you okay? You weren’t answering me for a second there...” 

“Oh… I’m fine.” Came her reply, accompanied by a tiny huff as she looked towards the ground. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with, Princess Sharena… don’t worry about me.” 

Olivia again feigned a smile, trying her best to not worry the bubbly princess. Though once Olivia stood up a moment later, Sharena stepped in closer, squinting at the dancer as if trying to figure something out. Olivia felt like covering her face as this happened, or like excusing herself and running off, the way Sharena was almost inspecting her making the poor dancer incredibly nervous. But before she could do anything else, Sharena’s eyes widened as an idea seemingly popped into her head. 

“I’ve got it!” She exclaimed, stepping backwards as she placed her hands on her hips triumphantly, beaming with confidence.

“G-Got what??” Olivia questioned, clutching her hands together against her chest, worry written all across her features

“You were having so much fun training, that you’re upset it’s over!” She stated with conviction. “You wish Ephraim could’ve stayed and taught you more! He is quite the warrior after all… I don’t blame you for wanting to learn from him.” 

The princess seemed to have a self-assured tone to her statement, so… Olivia decided to go along with it, glad that Sharena hadn’t assumed anything more than that, though the conclusion she did come to wasn’t strictly untrue.

“Ah, yes… He is quite talented, isn’t he?” She responded, a nervous smile on her lips as she exhaled a relieved sigh. “I was hoping to get some more training in with him today, but it seems that’ll be all…” 

“I knew it! Well if that’s the case, then I’d be happy to take his place and spar with you a bit!”

“O-Okay… sure.” She agreed, not wanting to turn down such a kind offer. “I appreciate it, Princess.”

She then looked back to castle for a moment, her thoughts drifting back to Ephraim once again. That sorrowful look in his eyes from earlier would refuse to leave her mind for several days to come.


	4. Dinner Banter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ephraim and Olivia find themselves enjoying each other's company at dinner, when something unexpected happens partway through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I seem to work relatively well when it's late... did I forget to mention I'm bad at coming up with chapter names? Because I am. Anyways, I wanted to get another chapter out fairly quickly, and I'm honestly surprised at how fast I put this one out. I do hope it doesn't feel rushed as a consequence of how soon it's been since my last update, but if it does... oh well. I can always come back and fix things later if I'm not 100% satisfied, right? 
> 
> Comments and feedback are welcome as always, and I do hope you find some enjoyment in this!

Walking towards the table, plate and mug in hand, Olivia took several deep breaths to try and calm herself. She could feel numerous pairs of eyes on her as she walked through the large and decorative dining hall, moving past all the other occupied tables and heading towards the her destination. It came into view after a few more moments, a small rounded table where the sole friend she’d made in her time at the Order sat, someone she’d found herself sharing meals with more frequently in the recent weeks.

“Hey, there you are.” Ephraim said as the girl approached, lowering his fork as he watched her set her dinner down before taking a seat opposite him. “I was wondering when you’d show up.” 

“Sorry…” She apologized, scooting her stool in a bit as she tucked a few hairs behind her ear. “I was caught up with helping Cordelia sort a new shipment of supplies...” 

“Don’t apologize, it’s not as if you missed anything important.” He replied, clearly not bothered by her tardiness.

“I-I know, but still…” She looked down to her plate for a moment, staring into the pile of mashed potatoes before picking up her roll. “Have you um… met her yet?” 

She asked this mostly out of a desire to avoid an awkward silence, to at least have some sort of conversation between the two while they ate. Though he’d gone back to eating right before she said this, and was now looking back up at her with a fork in his mouth, having just taken in a mouthful of potatoes. After chewing and swallowing, he gave his answer accompanied by a shake of his head. 

“I don’t believe I have… she must have joined recently then, right? Kiran seems to be making frequent trips to the summoning ruins as of late.”

“Yes… she’s from my world, actually. She’s a fellow shepherd.” Olivia continued, breaking off a small piece of her roll and eating it. 

“She is? Isn’t that a good thing, though?” He inquired, leaning forwards slightly. “It’s someone you know… aren’t you glad to finally have another friend here?” 

She paused before putting another piece of roll in her mouth, her eyes having lowered down to looking at her plate again. 

“She’s… not exactly a friend.” She clarified, rolling the bit of bread between her thumb and forefinger. “We don’t have a problem with one another, but we’re just allies, nothing more.” She then popped the piece into her mouth, letting out a sigh as she chewed. 

“Why not?” He prodded, going back to his plate, though glanced up at her now and again as he continued to eat. 

“Well, how do I put it…” She said a bit quietly, and mostly to herself. “She was just… perfect, I suppose?” 

She sounded unsure of this. And she was, for the most part. There wasn’t any one particular thing about Cordelia that irked Olivia or made her dislike the woman, but if she had to choose one thing about her that did get to her a bit, it was how seemingly perfect she was, or at least strived to be. That, and her complete seeming infatuation with Chrom, a love that would never seem to be reciprocated.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m not really sure how to explain it…” She apologized, letting out a sigh as she closed her eyes. “The two of us just never got along as anything more than fellow shepherds, I suppose.”

“Well even if she’s not a friend, it’s better than a complete stranger, right?” He replied before taking another bite of his own dinner. 

“I suppose so… at least I have a friend like you here, right?” She said, a hopeful look in her eyes as she lifted her head back up. 

“Of course. And that won’t change anytime soon, I assure you.” 

And assured she was. Something she’d come to learn about the young prince, was that he was a man of his word. When he made a promise, he intended to follow through with it, one way or another. The thought of having such a dedicated friend in a strange new world like this… it brought her some sense of comfort. She couldn’t help but smile now, knowing that there was someone who really cared about her here. The feelings of isolation and loneliness she’d been experiencing prior to the afternoon they shared on the hill felt like a distant memory, despite only being a few short weeks ago.

“Thank you, Ephraim… truly.” She said with a genuine smile on her face. 

“No need to thank me.” He responded, turning his attention once again back to his plate. “You’d better hurry up and eat faster. It’s going to get cold if you just keep nibbling away like that.” 

“Oh! Um… right.” She nodded, hurriedly picking up her fork to begin actually eating.

 

As the minutes went on, light dinner conversation was eventually struck up while they continued to eat, with the mood gradually elevating as they found themselves swapping little stories with one another. One in particular caught Olivia by surprise, the girl nearly dropping her fork in disbelief.

“You... what?” Olivia said with widened eyes, leaning forwards as she stifled a laugh.

“You heard correctly. The second I had a spear in my hand, I challenged my teacher to a duel… I’d never even wielded a weapon before, yet there I was, acting as if I could take him down with ease.”

Olivia couldn’t help but giggle at this, the image of a young and inexperienced Ephraim attempting to fight a seasoned warrior… it seemed just like him. 

“Even as a young man, you were incredibly confident... “ She mused before taking a small bite, a smile persisting on both of their lips. 

“I suppose so… though I’m sure you can guess how things ended.” He added with a chuckle. “I was knocked to the ground so fast I barely knew what had happened. It didn’t deter my confidence any, though. I still aimed to become the best there was with the lance… and I’m still on that path to this day.”

He then went to take a large gulp from his mug, one that ended up leaving a small dribble of ale running down his chin once he set it back to the table. Olivia took notice of it, but as the seconds dragged on with him not taking notice… it dawned on her that he was completely unaware of it even being there. 

“Um, Ephraim…” She began, lowering her fork while raising her other hand up, pointing towards her chin. “You… have a little something there.” She said with a giggle.

“Huh?” He questioned, bringing his hand up and wiping it across his own chin. “Oh… thank you.” He laughed a bit before picking up his fork and going in for another bite. “Forgive me, I suppose I didn’t notice. I’ll be honest, that’s not the first time that’s happened, and I’m sure it won’t be… the last...” He trailed off as his eyes widened, something else seeming to have caught his attention. 

Olivia tilted her head slightly before turning to look over her shoulder, trying to find what had caused him to lose focus. She followed his gaze to the entrance of the dining hall, where the Summoner and Sharena could be seen entering, accompanied by a young woman that Olivia didn’t recognize. She was too far away to be able to make out any distinguishing features, aside from a head of hair that seemed to have a very familiar aqua-like color. 

Suddenly, the clatter of silverware against a plate could be heard as Ephraim dropped his fork, followed by the scraping of his legs of his stool against the stone floor as the lord quickly stood up and walked around the table, eyes wide as his mouth hung slightly agape. 

“Ephraim?” Olivia called out as he rushed past her and towards the doors, the dancer being understandably confused. “Does he recognize her?” She mumbled to herself, setting down her fork and turning on her stool to face them directly. 

A soft gasp came from Olivia as she witnessed Ephraim nearly tackle the girl, throwing his arms around her while pulling her into a tight embrace. She, alongside many others in the room who had taken notice of this, watched as the woman reciprocated this action, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his shoulder. Olivia could see Kiran and Sharena saying something before leaving, with Ephraim looking back to them and giving a quick nod, then bringing a hand up and gently stroking the girl’s hair as he leaned his head down to rest upon hers.

Before long, the two let go of one another, though Ephraim kept hold of her hand as he began to lead her back to the table, an excited grin on his face, with the girl apparently wiping away a few tears that had formed as she followed alongside him. Olivia could hear whispers break out amongst the rest of the hall, likely about who the woman could be and why Ephraim seemed to be so… intimate with her. 

“Here, sit down…” He let go of her hand as he pulled out an extra stool before getting back into his own seat.

“Thank you, brother…” The woman said as she sat down, finishing up with drying her tears.

Before Ephraim even had a chance to introduce her, Olivia figured it out. The similarly colored hair, the way they embraced one another, even a few small facial features... Her calling him ‘brother’ only solidified what she’d had suspected.

“Olivia,” He began glancing at the girl beside him for a moment before back to her. “I’m very happy to introduce you to someone… This is Eirika, my twin sister.” 

“Olivia, is it?” Eirika said in a reverent tone, giving a small bow of her head as a gentle smile shone on her face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

“Th-The pleasure’s all mine!” She blurted out, forcing a nervous smile onto her face before giving her head a similar, albeit rushed bow. “I’ve heard a lot about you… er, from Ephraim of course! I-It’s nice to finally meet you!” 

“Oh, he’s been talking about me, has he?” She said, folding her hands together on her lap as she laughed a little. “All good things, I hope… Regardless, I look forward to getting to know you, Olivia.”

Everything Ephraim had said about Eirika was true, it seemed. Of course she and Olivia had just met, and the two had barely spoken a few words to each other, but from what she could gleam from her whole demeanor and what little had been said… It seemed that she was just every bit as kind and gentle as he’d built her up to be.

“I knew Kiran had left to go perform another summoning ritual earlier… but I hadn’t expected you to return alongside him.” He said, a look of genuine happiness on his face as his gaze darted back and forth between the two girls. 

“Well, I hadn’t expected to be brought to such a place, but… life doesn’t seem to always go the way we expect it to, does it?” She replied with a smile, before craning her head around, taking a look at all the different Heroes scattered about the hall. “Goodness…” Eirika continued, offering a friendly smile to those she caught staring at her. “The people here surely are… varied.” 

“I’m certain the he explained it already, but...” Ephraim said, leaning forwards with his arms folded on the table. “Everyone here is from a different world, like Olivia for example. There’s plenty of new people to meet and get acquainted with... I’m glad you’re finally here, though. I was worried about you.” 

“He did say that… and how do you think I felt?” Eirika retorted, huffing lightly. “You simply disappeared without a trace… Though it wasn’t long after that I came here too.” She furrowed her brow for a moment, as if deep in thought. “The Summoner… Kiran, yes? Kiran did mention that time moves differently here, as opposed to the worlds the Heroes hail from. How long have you been here, brother?”

“About… two months, I’d say.” He answered after thinking about it for a moment. “Nearly just as long as Olivia here.” 

'Had it really been two months already?' Olivia wondered to herself as she remained quiet, allowing the siblings to continue uninterrupted. 

“Goodness… you were only gone for a day or so for me!” She lowered her gaze to the table, thinking to herself for a few moments. “It’s quite something to try and wrap your mind around, isn’t it?” She sighed, and gave her head a light shake. “Let’s not try and bother with how it all works… What matters now is that we’re together again, right?”

“Right.” He agreed, nodding along with a smile. 

Soon, one of the castle staff members brought out a plate of dinner for Eirika, giving a bow before turning on her heel and heading off. Casual dinner once again ensued, though it was mostly between the twins, with Olivia rarely participating. She would’ve felt it would be rude for her to disturb the two while they spoke, with it having been so long since Ephraim had seen his sister… so the blushing girl remained mostly silent, occasionally nodding her head or giving a small ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ in response to any questions directed at her. 

“So, Ephraim, Olivia…” Eirika said once she was partway through her meal, gently tapping her fork on the edge of her plate. “Are you two… an item?” 

Olivia nearly choked on the roast in her mouth. She quickly swallowed the half-chewed meat and lowered her fork, clutching her hands against her chest as she shrunk ever so slightly in her seat. 

“N-No!” She denied, her face red hot, and eyes widened with fear. “We’re just friends! Nothing more...” 

The look on Eirika's face told Olivia that she didn't believe her, the dancer's outburst likely making Eirika even more suspicious. She turned to look at her brother, raising a curious eyebrow. 

“As Olivia said, just friends.” He confirmed after lowering the mug from his lips. “Honestly, Eirika… you did this with Tana and L’Arachel as well. Just because I’m friends with a woman doesn’t mean I’m pining after her.” 

Narrowing her eyes slightly for a few moments, Eirika let out a sigh before dropping her gaze back to her plate, seemingly giving up on this. Olivia silently sighed in relief, lowering her hands down to her lap as she tried to calm down. It was true, she didn’t feel that way for the prince at all, she hadn’t had any time to worry about love or anything of the sort. she just didn’t want to give Eirika, or anyone else for that matter, any wrong ideas about their relationship being anything beyond just friends. 

“Forgive me, Olivia.” Eirika eventually spoke up, taking her fork into her hand once more. “Same to you, brother. I just worry sometimes that you might be a bit… helpless when it comes to women.” 

“...Helpless?” He replied, it being his turn to raise an eyebrow at her. “I’d hardly call myself helpless when it comes to anything, save for magic. I’m just not interested in trying to find love anytime soon.” 

“As you say, brother.” She said, the hint of a smile on her lips as she went in for another bite. 

“Speaking of relationships…” Ephraim continue, grinning down at his plate as he poked at his roast beef. “I wonder when Seth will be summoned?” 

It was now Eirika’s turn to have a bright blush spread across her face.


	5. Unpleasant Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a round of patrol, Ephraim and Olivia find that Kiran has summoned a new batch of Heroes... among them someone Ephraim had thought he'd never see again.

“Y-You don’t have to do that, Ephraim...” Olivia said with wide eyes, surprised by the prince’s offer. “I-I wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience or anything! I’m sure you have more important things to do...” 

“It’d be nothing of the sort!” Ephraim replied. “I may not know a single thing about dancing, but I’m more than willing to give you what little feedback I can.” 

“I… I don’t know...” She hesitantly responded, turning to look back ahead of them as they came up the front steps of the castle. “I’m not trying to be rude or anything, bu-” 

“But what?” He interrupted, leaning over and giving her a playful nudge with his free arm, the other currently carrying his lance over his shoulder. “I can guarantee you’ll be nothing short of excellent, as always. And perhaps Eirika would be willing to tag along and give her thoughts as well?” 

“I… um... m-maybe...” She said with a small huff, unsure of how else to really respond.

She was embarrassed not just by the praise he offered, but also at the prospect of not just one person watching her unfinished and unrefined dances, but two people, one of which she hardly knew. Regardless of this, she appreciated his kind offer, despite how embarrassed it may have made her.

Inside of the castle, just beyond the doors was the ‘Hall of Heroes’, a funny little name given to the main entrance hall of the building. In the hall, there seemed to be a small crowd that had gathered, with the Summoner in the center of it, alongside what appeared to be a fresh batch of Heroes. As the two came back inside, the hooded man turned to face them, waving the pair over 

“Ah, Ephraim, Olivia! Back from patrol already?” Kiran asked, stepping aside. “Come, we have some new allies!” 

“New allies?” Olivia said , perking up a bit as she glanced up at Ephraim, hopeful that there would be someone that either of them recognized. “You were right the other day, he is summoning a lot recently...”

The moment Kiran moved, Ephraim’s eyes widened. The chatter among all the heroes quickly died down as his lance dropped, the metal clattering against the floor silencing everyone, and causing their collective attention to turn to the prince. Of the five new additions to the Order, there was but a single one that seemed to stick out to Ephraim… one that grinned as he turned around to face the prince. Olivia could sense what was going to happen next, glancing up at her friend to see him genuinely angered for the first time since meeting him.

“What is he doing here?!” Ephraim raised his voice, glancing back to the Summoner with a burning rage in his eyes. “He is NOT a Hero, I can assure you.” 

“Ephraim,” Kiran said, bringing his hands up in an almost defensive manner, his expression masked thanks to his hood. “I understand what you must be feeling, but please, I promise you tha-” 

“Kiran, I don’t think you quite understand anything in regards to this man.” Ephraim interrupted through gritted teeth. 

The cause of Ephraim's anger had a wicked smile on his ghastly face, showing off his disgustingly yellowed teeth that made Olivia nearly gasp. This man looked almost like a living corpse, from his slightly sunken eyes to the his almost gray skin… it didn’t help that his size was incredibly intimidating, with him standing a good three heads taller than Olivia. From the look on his face, it was clear he took great pleasure in seeing the prince in such an enraged state. He stepped forwards and took a bow, his greasy head of hair hanging down as he placed one arm across his chest. 

“Lord Ephraim, I assure you I mean no harm.” Valter spoke in a friendly enough tone, though the lord didn’t believe him in the slightest. “I know that the last time we met, it was on less than friendly terms… But I have no quarrel with anyone here, especially not you or your dear sister.” 

Narrowing his eyes, Ephraim stepped towards to the man, grabbing him by the shoulder and roughly yanking him closer. He narrowed his eyes at Valter, an obvious rage beginning to burn within him.

“You speak lies.” He hissed, looking up at the taller man. “Your only purpose is to harm, to kill, to-” 

“Ephraim!” Kiran came in, placing a hand on each of their shoulders, attempting to separate the two. “Let go! He’s not going to hurt anyone!” 

“Kiran, I know what this man is capable of.” Ephraim replied without missing a beat, keeping his eyes locked onto the grinning general. “He’s dangerous, and cannot be trusted.” 

“Ephraim, that’s ridiculous!” Kiran tried to push them apart once more, but Ephraim’s grip on the man's clothes was seemingly made of iron. “Please, stop this!” 

Olivia could tell Ephraim had no intention of listening to Kiran. He gave Valter a violent shake, the man’s snake-like grin only causing his blood to boil even further. 

“Kiran, this vile creature is responsible for countless unspeakable atrocities!” He shouted. “The last time we faced, he-”

“Lord Ephraim, I assure you I never intended on doing any unspeakable things… I was only acting under the order of the Royal Prince, don’t you understand?” He narrowed his eyes slightly. “If anyone’s to blame for what happened, it’s him.”

“You bastard…” Ephraim growled. “Don’t call me that, and don’t you dare speak of Lyon that way!!”

She’d heard him shout before, though it was always on the battlefield when giving orders or warnings to others. This was different… she could tell he truly hated and distrusted this man with every fiber of his being. Truthfully, this scared Olivia. She could understand that Ephraim clearly had some sort of history with this man, but to see her friend so overcome with rage in such a manner… it was terrifying.

“E-Ephraim…” Olivia said quietly, trying to get his attention as she stepped forwards, hands clasped together against her chest.

He whipped his head around, the look of pure hatred and fury in his eyes startling her, causing her to take a half-step backwards out of shock, it nearly looking as if she was cowering in fear. As she did this, his expression softened while his grip on Valter loosened just a bit, the anger in his eyes fading briefly.

“Olivia, I…” He began in a remorseful tone. “I’m sorry, I just… He...” He found himself unable to find the words to express what he wanted to say, resulting in him trailing off.

There was silence now, the few murmurs that had broken out among the small crowd dying down. Ephraim looked to the hooded man trying to pull him and Valter apart, then back to the terrified dancer before going back to Valter once more, the same sickening smile remaining on his face. The prince brought up a slightly trembling finger, nearly poking the man between the eyes. 

“If you so much as lay a scratch on a single person here, I will not hesitate to cut you down where you stand.” Ephraim threatened in a low tone. “One measly slip-up from you, and I’ll gladly take your life again. Got it?” 

“Of course, my lord.” Valter replied in an almost mockingly respectful tone, his breath smelling what Ephraim would later describe as stale rust. “I wouldn’t think of it, I’m here to serve the Order of course~” 

It was obvious Ephraim didn’t trust a single word of this, that he wasn’t buying anything Valter said. With a grunt, he gave the man a rough shove backwards, before spinning around and picking up Siegmund, proceeding to then storm off, pushing his way past the crowd and disappearing into one of the many hallways leading out from the main hall. 

“Ephraim!” Kiran called out, having tried and failed to stop the prince as he walked past him. “That man…” He muttered, biting at his lower lip. Staring off in the direction Ephraim had went for a few seconds longer, he turned around to face Olivia. “Would you mind going after him?” He asked, stepping in closer, speaking in a lower tone, not wanting others to hear. “I think he may need help calming down.”

“Yes… yes of course.” She replied, nodding along. “I’ll do my best.” She then turned to Valter, who tried his best to hide his smile. “Please forgive him, sir Valter.” She said with a small bow of her head, trying to remain respectful despite not knowing anything about the man.

Before he even had a chance to reply, she had excused herself from the crowd, now squeezing past the others as she quickly walked along, heading down the same hall Ephraim had, catching a glimpse of him before he turned around another corner. ‘What could Valter have done to make Ephraim hate him so?’ She wondered to herself as she nearly ran along, holding the sword at her side still as it bounced along with her quick movements. 

Once she was gone, Valter himself offered Kiran a bow, the grin finally clearing itself from his face. 

“Forgive me, Summoner. I didn’t mean to anger the young lord so… It seems he has some unresolved issues with me.” He said, attempting to appear innocent. “My humblest apologies.”

“Don’t worry… you didn’t do anything to provoke him, Valter.” Kiran replied, turning back to the towering man. “If he continues to act like that… well, let’s just hope he cools down, yes? Olivia and him seem to be friends, I trust she’ll talk some sense into him.” 

“Let us hope so, yes…” Valter nodded, the hint of a maniacal grin again on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Valter is honestly one of my favorite villain characters in the franchise, despite not REALLY being around all that much. But he's so creepy and disgusting, that I can't help but feel he fits that image of what a "villain" is perfectly, you know? And I know not much really happens in this chapter, but these aren't meant to be really huge things that are part of a grand, overarching story. I like to see them more as like... little snippets into important moments in the lives of the characters during their time at the Order, if that makes sense? Speaking of which, I know this one is a tad on the short side, and the same will hold true for some future chapters as well, but I hope that's not too much of a bad thing! Anyways, I hope this didn't feel rushed, and that you enjoyed it!"


	6. Unusual Pastimes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While working on separate things in the war room, Leo takes an interest in one of Robin's more... abnormal habits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware of how silly this chapter is, yes. But I do hope it's a relatively fun read!

“Robin, get your feet off the table.” 

“Leo, come on… there’s no need to be so uptight all the time.” Robin replied, the heels of his boots remaining firmly planted on the corner of said table, keeping himself stable as he tipped backwards in his chair. “Everyone should loosen up now and again, yes?” 

The prince lifted his eyes up from the scattered papers and open books laying about, shooting the white-haired man sitting across from him a small glare before letting out a sigh.

“It’s hard to believe that you’re actually the tactician of an army, at times.” He said before dropping his gaze back to his book. “Chrom must have an endless supply of patience.”

“No need to be harsh.” Responded the man. “You know I take my duties seriously when I need to.”

“Don’t you have work to do?” Leo replied, ignoring what Robin had said. 

After leaning his head back and staring at the stone ceiling of the war room for a few moments, Robin relented while letting out a sigh. He removed his feet, with all four legs of his chair back on the floor as he scooted in closer to the table. 

“That I do… you’re right.” He said as he reluctantly looked out among his own mess of papers. “The summoner dumped the usual tasks on me… assigning jobs and the like.”

He spoke with a tone of distaste, but in reality, he relished this. Choosing which heroes had what assignments for the next week, who was paired with who on what mission or who had a certain chore… it was a particular favorite of his. Whenever the Summoner found himself too busy with other things to able to take care of it, the job was generally passed down to either of the Robins. Though when he was in charge of it instead of his female counterpart, there always ended up being two people on each assignment, regardless of what it was that needed to be done.

“Let’s see…” He said quietly, reaching over to a small stack of books, carefully pulling a specific one out from near the bottom and opening it up.

With an excited grin on his face, he began to pore over the pages, tracing a finger along the various lists and columns of names contained within, quietly muttering to himself now and again. Grabbing his pen and inkwell, he pulled a blank piece of paper and began writing out a lengthy list of the various duties that needed to be performed around the castle, writing pairs of names next to each one as he went along.

“Patrol? Eirika, and... “ He paused in his writing, raising an eyebrow as he glanced back to the book for a moment. “...Alm. Then I can put Clair wit-”

“Are you doing it again?” 

“Huh?” This caught Robin off guard, the tactician raising his head up to again meet the prince’s gaze.

“Gods, you are… aren’t you?” Leo continued with a displeased groan. “You realize what you’re doing is ridiculous, right?

“I would hardly call it ridiculous” Robin answered with the hint of a grin. “Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” 

“What do you think the commander would say if she knew what you were doing? If she somehow heard about your little ‘pairing scheme’, hm?”

Setting down his quill for a moment, Robin pushed the book to the side and folded his hands before him on the table, a seemingly smug look on his face as he leaned back slightly in his chair once more. 

“I don’t think she would disapprove… would she?” He retorted playfully. “All I’m attempting to do is encourage everyone to get to know their fellow Heroes better… after all, it’s easier to cooperate with your allies once you’re more familiar with them, yes?” 

“Robin, that’s hardly what your end goal is, and we both know it.” Leo responded, narrowing his eyes. “I’ve heard that you had a tendency to try and ‘pair’ your allies together quite a bit back in the… Shepherds, was it?”

“Leo, the ‘end goal’ is for everyone to strengthen their bonds with one another!” He leaned forwards now, letting out a small chuckle. “If they decide to deepen those bonds beyond a simple friendship, then… well, who’s to stop them? Besides, with two people on each chore, things get done faster, leaving more time for training and other assignments. That’s something the commander would see as a positive. ‘Time is money!’, as she would say.” 

“You’re insufferable.” Leo said, attempting to go back to his own work. “Just keep me out of your matchmaking shenanigans.” 

“As you say.” Robin said triumphantly as he pulled his book closer, feeling quite victorious. “Weapons shipment?” He paused while he dabbed the tip of his pen in the inkwell. “Cordelia and Abel.” Another dab into the inkwell before writing out ‘Dinner Preparations’. “Now that Lon’qu was summoned yesterday, he an-”

“Must you say it all out loud?” Leo chided, growing ever more annoyed with the tactician. 

“It helps me focus.” Robin replied plainly, not looking up at him. “If it bothers you so much, then just hum quietly to yourself to drown me out. Or you could simply leave.” 

“The temptation to do so grows with every word you speak.”

He went back to writing after this, continuously listing out different chores and duties, quietly naming off everyone he was assigning to each one, much to Leo’s chagrin. Minutes flew by as he paired people off, sticking together those who he thought could either be good friends, or perhaps even more if things went well. It was an odd habit for sure, one he picked up when fighting alongside Chrom in Ylisse. But it seemed that despite being in a new world fighting for a new cause with a multitude of new allies, he couldn’t help but fall back into it. 

“Laundry...” He muttered as he wrote it on the paper, before looking back to his list. “...not Felicia. Sakura and Subaki.” He paused once more as he reached a particular duty, a grin spreading across his face. “Night watch…” He quickly jotted down a pair of names, not even taking a moment to think about who to assign. “Ephraim and Olivia.” 

“Oh gods,” Leo said, slamming his own book shut. “For curiosity's sake, I must ask… why do you put those two together so often?” He questioned, furrowing his brow. 

“Often? I’ve only done it once or twice.” Robin replied, not looking up from his ‘work’. 

“Damn near every time I’ve watched you do this, you put the two of them with one another. And for no good discernible reason.”

“I have my reasons.” He replied, a small frown taking hold of his lips. “But you said just a minute ago you didn’t want to get involved, so don’t worry about it.” 

“I’m not, I’m only asking a question.” Leo snapped back, narrowing his eyes. “They’re nearly complete opposites, wouldn’t you agree?”

Robin stopped writing, and once again lifted his head to meet the prince’s gaze, thinking for a few moments before he spoke. 

“It seems they’ve become good friends… why not encourage them to spend more time together?” Robin said, trying to defend himself. “When I was summoned, I myself was shocked to see her getting along with someone like him… But more unlikely things have happened, no?”

“You’re not exactly wrong about that, and it is strange.” Leo conceded, propping his elbow up on the table and resting his chin on his palm. “Though Ephraim is… a tad unrefined, wouldn’t you agree? I would’ve imagined Olivia wouldn’t be too comfortable around someone as… temerarious and seemingly hotheaded as him.” 

“That’s where you’re wrong, Leo.” Robin began, smiling once again. “I’ve gotten to know Olivia fairly well, and trust me, around people like Ephraim and Basilio… she’s much more at ease than you might think.”

“Basilio?” Leo questioned.

“Someone from Regna Ferox,” Robin clarified. “Someone Olivia was seemingly very close to, from what I’ve gathered.” 

“Is he prone to rage induced outbursts as well?” Leo questioned. 

“What exactly do you mean by that?” 

“The other day, Ephraim apparently shouted at one of the newest recruits, and nearly got physical with the man… Elise was there, and said that she was nearly quaking in her boots. It’s hardly proper behaviour one would expect from a future king…”

“Ah, that… I heard about it as well.” Robin said as he nodded. “I’m aware that he’s a bit… rough at times, though I assure you his reaction to seeing that particular man wasn’t unwarranted. They have a bit of amount of history together in their own world, and from what I’ve learned while studying about their land in the library, Ephraim had every reason to be distrustful of him.” 

“Regardless of that, I’m still confused as to why they seem to get along so well. Ephraim and Olivia, that is.” Leo continued, leaning back in his chair now with his arms folded across his chest. “Surely there’s more to it than him sharing some similarities with someone she already trusts.”

“Oh, there is, don’t worry.” Robin said, waving a hand dismissively.”You needn’t concern yourself with the details. But trust me, Leo… I know what I’m doing when it comes to things such as this. I’ve thought up potential friendships and pairings for nearly everyone in the Order." He said this almost as if he was proud of it. "Including you.” He added with a smirk.

This caused a quick shift in demeanor for the Prince, who was now turning a shade of red, the thought of someone trying to ‘set him up’ with another person being beyond embarrassing.

"Q-Quit being so ridiculous!" Stuttered the blushing prince. "I said I wanted no part in this… don't try to drag me into it!" 

Being both fed up and now incredibly flustered, Leo quickly began to gather his things, piling his papers into a stack and tucking them under his arm as he stood up. 

"I'm… going to finish things elsewhere." He stated as he picked up his book before scooting his chair in and quickly making his way to the exit. 

"Don't you want to know who it is, at least?" Robin called after the young prince, a victorious air about him. 

Leo was halfway out the door when Robin said this, now pausing as he contemplated the question. With a heavy groan, he turned to look back at Robin, face as red as a tomato. 

"If… you wish to tell me, I won't stop you." He said through half-gritted teeth.

“I knew you’d come around.” Robin replied with a smirk. “She’s not who you’d expect, I assure you that…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do hope this chapter didn't feel rushed or anything, as it is fairly late for me and it's possible I missed an error or two I made... And I know this was another short one, and I'm sorry for that. But the next one is going to be relatively hefty, so look forward to that sometime in the next week (hopefully)
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! I hope to continue to keep writing as much as I can, and to keep improving!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! As always, constructive criticism and feedback of any sort is welcome! I hope to have chapter 2 out sometime within the next week, but there's unfortunately no promises on that.


End file.
